The Water Clans
by x S u n F r o S t x
Summary: RiverClan have chosen to stay behind rather than go with the other Clans on the Great Journey. New challenges face the now alone Clan, one of these being how to populate the forest once more with warrior Clans. Rewriting, so discontinued.
1. Allegiances

**Welcome, everybody, to "The Water Clans"! This is a story that comes off of an idea I had. What if RiverClan stayed instead of went with the other Clans on the Great Journey? What if their prey supply never went away? This is a fanfiction about what could have happened. Read on to find out what goes on in the inner workings of my mind! xD Critique is more than welcome, it's appreciated. Go for it! I'll start with the allegiances, and on the next page get into the prologue. These allegiances are from "Outcast". I don't own Warriors, and all credits go to Erin Hunter.**

**RIVERCLAN**

Leader: Leopardstar – unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

Deputy: Mistyfoot – gray she-cat with blue eyes

Medicine Cat: Mothwing – dappled golden she-cat

_Apprentice, Willowpaw_

Warriors:

Blackclaw – smoky black tom

Voletooth – small brown tabby tom

_Apprentice, Minnowpaw_

Reedwhisker – black tom

Mosspelt – tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

_Apprentice, Pebblepaw_

Beechfur – light brown tom

Rippletail – dark gray tabby tom

Dawnflower – pale gray she-cat

Dapplenose – mottled gray she-cat

Pouncetail – ginger-and-white tom

Apprentices:

Willowpaw – brown tabby she-cat

Minnowpaw – sleek silver she-cat

Pebblepaw – dark brown tom

Queens:

Graymist – pale gray tabby she-cat

Icewing – white she-cat with green eyes

Elders:

Heavystep – thickset tabby tom

Swallowtail – dark tabby she-cat

Stonestream – gray tom


	2. Prologue

The night was quiet, but the patrol padding beside the river had gotten used to the silence. Not a bird chirped, and there were no sounds of cats on the other side of the river, where the sand rose up to meet grass underneath the protection of trees. But of course there wasn't any noise! ThunderClan were a thing of the past. While many in RiverClan said that life would be easier without the rival Clans, many missed the battles and drama and glory of _feeling_ like a warrior. To be a warrior, one had to fight other Clans and hunt during famine to keep their Clan alive. A warrior would _be _the reason their Clan was alive. But these days, the prey practically jumped onto the warriors' claws. There would be no risk of famine, even though the cold night was the beginning of leaf bare.

Not everything had gone with WindClan, ShadowClan, and ThunderClan, though. The RiverClan warrior ancestors still walked the skies. They had split apart from the ancestors of the other three Clans in order to watch the Clan they used to live in. But even StarClan's hunting grounds were bleak. A RiverClan cat could look at the sky and no longer be wondered or entranced by what he found up there. The sky was duller without the brilliance of the four Clan ancestors put together. The stars didn't shine as brightly, and were often covered by clouds.

There was nothing the RiverClanners could do to rejoin the Clans, though. The three were gone, and probably dead, too. RiverClan cats never set foot on the old territories. The old scent marks that grew staler every day brought back raw fear to every cat. They missed their rivals and the strong, purposeful feeling of fighting for their Clans. The only fights to have these days would be with your apprentice. But there is always a calm before a storm, and this calm would end very, very quickly.

Every cat in the patrol padding beside the river had no idea of what was to come. They couldn't know the ideas about to be birthed in their minds, or the very short amount of life left in some of their cats. They didn't know that one day soon the four territories would be thriving with cats once more. Their medicine cats wouldn't even see it coming, as StarClan were only learning of the plan themselves. And when StarClan did find out, the short minded would be full of fear, and the cats who predicted best would be just as sad. But they couldn't see the effect of the sad event to come, and this cataclysmic event would not only change the RiverClanners' lives but also save them.

When this day came, a great new dawn would come to the forest, and RiverClan would no longer be alone. They would have cats to battle, cats to yell at, cats to socialize with, cats that would test one's devotion to the warrior code and their Clan. But RiverClan would be ready, no matter how dull things seemed right now.

The time was passing by, ever so slowly, and the gray she-cat who led the patrol had just lifted her blue eyes to the sky above when not one, but two shooting stars blazed across the black expanse of night. Mistyfoot's eyes followed it and then dropped back to the ground, quietly shocked at the unexpected color across the night sky. She couldn't resist the impulse to look back up. The rest of the patrol seemed to have sensed that something had come past as well, because they all lifted their heads up to examine the night sky. Their searching eyes followed the trails left behind, searching for hope, but instead they found something much more promising, something they hadn't seen for moons.

The two shooting stars slashed right through the full moon floating in the sky. The lines seemed to block the moon, but still the moon glowed. Changed in appearance, but the same as before. The RiverClan warriors' eyes filled with hope at the raised spirits of StarClan. As the four cats abandoned the patrol and raced back to camp, the soft keening of StarClan started to be replaced by a joyful yowling, as at last the real future was reveleaed to the ancient cats.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this first part. Please critique!**


	3. Chapter 1

A regular morning, or as regular as it could be, greeted the RiverClan deputy. Mistyfoot stretched in her place at the center of the warriors' den. Her jaws parted to let out a quiet yawn, and her breath was mist in the cold morning air. The mist surprised her; could it seriously be that cold already? Many things were passing unknown on the edge of her mind these days.

Giving one last shake and stretch, she picked her way through the sleeping bodies of her warriors and padded quietly into the clearing. It was colder outside the den than in. Ice crackled underpaw, and Mistyfoot wondered where it had come from. Her blue eyes searched the clearing, falling on the small fresh-kill pile first and then moving on to stop at the reeds. Her eyes widened in shock, and carefully gripping the ice she went to investigate.

The reeds were covered in ice as well, and their roots were imbedded in the icy water. It seemed like temperatures had gotten cold enough to freeze the river around their camp. The deputy's eyes focused as the cold air woke her up. She moved forward more evenly, and hesitated before stepping onto the ice. A sharp crack came of her escapade, and Mistyfoot quickly leaped back as the ice broke.

Well, there were good things about that. A cat could get fish from the water if they were foolish enough to be moving around rather than expending as little energy as possible. Mistyfoot shook her head. The leaf-bare ahead looked hard already. She actually felt grateful today that the Clans were gone, but a hint of sadness and abandonment quickly changed her mind. The absence of the Clans was forever on the RiverClanners' minds, particularly on Leopardstar's. Leopardstar didn't get to report and cover up for RiverClan at Gatherings anymore. The seasons old tradition no longer took place.

A quiet meow behind her made the deputy whip her head around. A small brown tabby tom was picking his way through the ice towards her, an even smaller she-cat at his side. _Voletooth and Minnowpaw must be going out for training_ Mistyfoot thought, and then answered their greeting with a smooth dip of her head.

"How's the ice?" asked Voletooth. Minnowpaw padded away with a sigh as the two warriors engaged in conversation. Her silver coat was barely darker than the snow. This would make her a good hunter today.

"You can't walk on it. Be prepared to swim," replied Mistyfoot smoothly. Her blue eyes followed Minnowpaw's movement, assessing the apprentice's age. Minnowpaw was around ten moons old. In another moon or so it would be time for her to become a warrior. _If we get that far without going mad_ thought Mistyfoot darkly, then shook her head to clear it of these thoughts.

Voletooth nodded and summoned his apprentice with a flick of his tail. The two set out cautiously. Minnowpaw leaped over the broken ice and then hissed as the ice she landed on collapsed under her weight. She went under, but emerged seconds later, paws churning the water to keep her afloat and her eyes an expression of pain at the intense cold. Voletooth shook his head and purred with amusement before joining his apprentice in the water. Together they carved a path through the ice to the riverbank on the other side.

Mistyfoot's thoughts returned to the day ahead. There was no dawn patrol anymore – instead, there were endless hunting patrols. The deputy thought she might as well lead one, and padded over to the fresh kill pile to eat before heading out.

Activity was becoming apparent in the camp. There was a low rustle near the elders' den, and Mothwing appeared. The medicine cat stretched, her small muscles rippling, and then padded across the camp to beat Mistyfoot to the fresh-kill pile. Mistyfoot nodded a greeting to her and chose a small mouse. Mothwing was equally courteous, meowing a respectful greeting before grabbing a small silver fish and disappearing back into her den.

Dapplenose appeared from the warriors' den with Beechfur right behind her. Mistyfoot looked at them and decided it was time for a patrol. Taking the last bite of her mouse, she stood and made her way towards their approaching forms.

"Hunting patrol?" she inquired.

Dapplenose's response was a nod, and Beechfur copied her. There was no prey left on the pile, so the three left camp instantly. As Mistyfoot walked into the icy water and began to swim for the opposite shore, she heard Beechfur curse as he followed. Dapplenose was quiet, but a sharp intake of breath from her showed her surprise at the temperature.

Mistyfoot agreed with them. The water bit into her bones like the sharpest claw, leaving no place warmth and taking from her all thoughts of warmth and good. When Mistyfoot climbed out at last it was with relief. _No fishing today_ she thought.

While waiting for the other warriors to climb out her gaze became fixed on the water level. It was lower than usual, not drastically but lower. It was a source of concern for her now. _Yet another hardship of leaf-bare._

When the other two cats finally climbed out and onto the bank, she set off for the forested part of the territory. The two followed expressionlessly, and a regular old day was spelled out in front of her.

* * *

The mouse was smaller than the one she had this morning. Mistyfoot searched for another bite, her growling stomach hungering for more. The fresh-kill pile had been dispersed among the Clan. They never had extra. Her thoughts turned to leading another hunting patrol when a ginger and white tom bounded breathlessly over to her.

"Mistyfoot! You have to come and see! It's urgent!" he panted.

The RiverClan deputy was on her feet in an instant, tail lashing as she picked up on Pouncetail's urgency.

"Where's Leopardstar?" she inquired urgently.

"On patrol," he replied, then waved his tail impatiently. "Come, Mistyfoot, you really must see this!".

Mistyfoot hesitated a second, then summoned Reedwhisker. The black tom padded over expressionlessly, waiting for orders. "Lead the way," Mistyfoot ordered.

Pouncetail quickly turned tail and led the way across the camp and through the icy water. Then the tom veered away and tore off in the direction of ThunderClan's territory. Mistyfoot's heart lifted. Had ThunderClan returned? She inhaled deeply, and only smelled the comforting aroma of RiverClan. There was no ThunderClan scent on Pouncetail's pelt either. Her eyes narrowed. Had something else happened?

Pouncetail led them right to the edge of the river, and then skidded to a halt. "Look!" he panted breathlessly. Mistyfoot's eyes did look, and what she saw terrified her.

Water covered ThunderClan's territory completely. It was like the river had become an ocean, stretching up tall to engulf the forest. How had this happened? The trees were still standing. It was like the water had just _appeared_. It was disturbing. _StarClan, why don't you help us for once?_ she thought in her head. As if to answer her thought, the wind blew softly, carrying with it the calming scent of fish and RiverClan. _Everything will be fine_ it seemed to say. Mistyfoot took it in her stride and talked to her warriors confidently and authoritatively.

"Reedwhisker, fetch Leopardstar. She should be in the forest grove. Pouncetail, do you know when this happened?".

The tom shook his head. "I was hunting by myself and trying my paw at fishing in this ice, but I never got to it. What does it mean Mistyfoot?".

The RiverClan deputy's blue eyes were like chips of ice. "I don't know," she replied coolly.


	4. Chapter 2

**First of all, I would like to thank all of you who have reviewed and given me such nice comments. Thanks! I hope you enjoy this next chapter. For those of you who read but didn't review, it's okay. I'm thankful that you just read my story. ^_^ Credits go to Erin Hunter for the Warriors series that inspired this. Thank you for writing Erins! Without further ado, let's jump right into the story. Yes, it was hard, being the only Clan.**

A long sigh blew out of Mistyfoot's nostrils. Her blue eyes were unfocused as dreams and thoughts spun behind her eyelids. The RiverClan deputy was worried, and rightly so. The water level rise on ThunderClan's territory was a huge cause for worry. Was RiverClan safe? They could swim anything of course, but she didn't want to risk losing cats.

_And neither does Leopardstar. _The RiverClan leader had appointed a sentry of one cat for every hour of the day. The current sentry was Pebblepaw, and Mistyfoot knew that the apprentice didn't like it. Then again, the two apprentices' warrior ceremonies were not far off. These cats would be the first warriors Leopardstar had made since the Clans left. It would be a very symbolic meeting. Pebblepaw and Minnowpaw were trying to prove themselves in every way possible. They deserved their names.

No sound filtered through the thick covering of the warriors' den. It was the middle of leaf-bare, and the RiverClan cats were learning hunger once more. Mistyfoot knew her own ribs were showing through her pelt, and gave one last sigh before rising to her feet in one graceful move. The Clan needed to be fed.

As Mistyfoot padded out into the icy clearing she sniffed at the air for warriors. There was only one scent; Beechfur, guarding the camp. With a heavy sigh she plopped down once more. She couldn't leave the camp undefended! Even though there were no Clans to threaten them any wild animal could decide to launch an attack there. Mistyfoot heaved another sigh. Her day was just going great.

* * *

The evening, Mistyfoot slowly bit through the silver fish she had gotten from the small fresh-kill pile. She savored each bite before passing it back to Willowpaw. Prey had become so scarce that the cats had started to share prey.

Mistyfoot fondly recalled the stories Stormfur had told her when she had pressed him for more details on Tribe life. Feathertail had been chosen by StarClan along with other warriors to find a badger, listen to her foretell the forest's destruction, and come back. They had encountered a type of Clan called a Tribe on the way back to the forest. Being with the Tribe had ultimately killed Feathertail, but Stormfur remembered everything and had told her of a custom in the Tribe where the cats shared prey. It was funny to think that RiverClan had adopted this custom and not gone with the other Clan cats.

Well, all of them stayed except for one. Stormfur went with the Clans because he wanted to be with the she-cat he had met and fell in love with in the Tribe – Brook Where Small Fish Swim. It was a sad story, especially since Stormfur had been her brother Stonefur's apprentice. But the thought of Stonefur was a bit too painful for tonight…..

Mistyfoot raised her head as Leopardstar picked her way through her warriors to stand in front of her. Immediately she rose to her feet, dipping her head in the deputy's gesture of respect to his or her leader. Leopardstar inclined her head – her way of saying hello – and then meowed "Your turn on sentry duty,".

Mistyfoot dipped her head in acknowledgement and took another bite of the fish. She rose to her paws and raced out of camp, eager to stretch her legs and her muscles.

The cold water of the river slid across her pelt as she swam across the channel to the river bank. It was only the cold that made Mistyfoot feel uneasy; the water was her friend, as it was to every RiverClan cat.

The gray she-cat padded up onto the opposite bank and didn't bother shaking herself dry when she raced away in the direction of the sentry post. The water spun off her coat in silver droplets, showering the hard ground with cold water as she ran. Mistyfoot knew that the water would freeze on the ground – it was that cold. Her thick coat had developed quickly to withstand the cold, though, so RiverClan wasn't suffering from that.

Mistyfoot reached the lookout spot in minutes. She swiped a glance at the ThunderClan territory and saw no difference – it was still covered with water. She could hear a faint hum in the distance knew, and knew it was the twolegs draining the forest. She sighed deeply, probably for the hundredth time that day. The twolegs sadly hadn't stopped doing whatever they were doing to the rest of the forest, but they hadn't bothered RiverClan. Nevertheless, hearing the twolegs made Mistyfoot think of asking Leopardstar to reconsider her decision.

But Leopardstar never would change it. She was too proud to admit that she had been wrong. _But I can't hold that against here. She's still one of the best leaders RiverClan has ever had. Forget about Tigerstar._ The alliance Leopardstar had formed with Tigerstar had caused her brother's death, but once more sharp needles of pain were spreading through her body, so she forced the thought out of her mind. It was like trying to swallow a tough piece of fresh kill – it just got harder and harder as time passed to send the thought away.

Mistyfoot sighed again and waited for her duty to end. She trained her blue eyes on ThunderClan's territory and never looked away.

* * *

A small meow startled her. Mistyfoot's gaze flicked upwards to see Dawnflower's pale gray coat and gentle but concerned amber eyes.

"Mistyfoot?" meowed the RiverClan warrior hesitantly.

Mistyfoot hastily stood up. "Duty over?" she asked briskly.

Dawnflower nodded, then added "Minnowpaw and Pebblepaw are having their warrior ceremony now, actually. We're leaving nobody on sentry so everybody can be there,".

Mistyfoot quickly masked the surprise flooding into her eyes. No sentry? She shook her head, nodded, masked her surprise, and led the way back to camp, feeling as though something bad might happen with no cat to watch the flooded territory.

When she entered the camp she was greeted by the sight of her Clan sitting down in front of the Bluerock. _Leopardstar must have just called the meeting. _She quickened her pace and sat in the deputy's spot at the front of the Clan. The rest of the cats fanned out behind her, and then made way for Pebblepaw and Minnowpaw.

Minnowpaw's coat was sleeker than ever, and the silver shone with new radiance. Her brother's dark brown coat looked light brown, so groomed was it. Light reflected off of both of their coats, and they looked blinding against the thin ice on the ground. Both of their eyes were flooded with excitement as they led the way to the Bluerock at the head of a procession of cats.

Right behind them were their mentors, Voletooth and Mosspelt. Voletooth's eyes were wide with pleasure, and Mosspelt looked as though she was holding back several loud purrs from erupting from her. Right behind them were Minnowpaw's and Pebblepaw's parents, Reedwhisker and Graymist. The four cats took a seat next to Mistyfoot while the two apprentices continued forward.

Leopardstar leaped off of the Bluerock and padded forward to stand in front of the apprentices. Her golden tabby coat and unusual spots made her look like a predator in the sunlight. Her amber eyes were gleaming with pride as she gazed up at the blue sky. No stars showed, but the full moon was showing through into the daytime. _The full moon!_ Mistyfoot's pulse quickened. This ceremony was extra special.

Leopardstar began to speak, the ancient ceremonial words slipping easily off of her tongue.

"Cats of StarClan, I bid you to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand and follow the ways of your noble code, and I ask you to fill me with the power to make them warriors RiverClan will be proud of,".

Her gaze slid to the two apprentices, and she continued to speak.

"Pebblepaw, Minnowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to defend and fight for this Clan even if it may cost you your life? Will you go through thick and thin to prove the warriors of RiverClan are never to be underestimated? Will you throw forbidden love aside and keep your loyalty to this Clan no matter what?".

Mistyfoot flinched at the last part. She was halfClan herself. Her mother had been Bluestar, her father Oakheart. Half RiverClan, half ThunderClan. It had been hard to prove herself to her Clanmates after that information had been made public.

Pebblepaw and Minnowpaw both replied strongly "I do,".

Leopardwind nodded at them, as if in encouragement, and spoke the last part of the ceremony.

"Then by the power vested in me by StarClan I give you your warrior names. Pebblepaw, from this moment onward you will be known as Pebblequake. StarClan honor your commitment and endurance, and we welcome you as a full warrior of this Clan,". Leopardstar stepped forward to rest her head on the new warrior's own head, and Pebblequake licked her shoulder respectfully before stepping back. Leopardstar turned her attention to Minnowpaw.

"Minnowpaw, from this moment onward you will be known as Minnowstream. StarClan commend your faithfulness and loyalty, and you are welcomed by everyone as a full warrior of RiverClan,". Once more, Leopardstar rested her head on the new warrior's neck, and Minnowstream respectfully licked her shoulder before stepping back.

The chant rose from the ranks of RiverClan, gaining in volume until it was defeaning. "Pebblequake! Minnowstream! Pebblequake! Minnowstream!". To Mistyfoot, it was like they were yowling their existence to the stars. _We're still here. We'll always be here. We're not weak. We're strong._

Mistyfoot was filled with happy thoughts and pride as she converged with the rest of the Clan onto the new warriors. Leopardstar hadn't mentioned their vigil, but it was a given; there was no need to mention it.

A quiet meow caught her attention. She flicked her head around and met Leopardstar's gaze. Leopardstar meowed "Can you go check on the flooded territory? I'll send a replacement at sundown,". Mistyfoot nodded, unquestioning, and left the camp.

The cold water, as usual, shocked her, and Mistyfoot was filled with a new alertness. Ceremonies were great, as they marked the progress and development of her Clan, but what was done was done; that was in the past. She had a duty to fulfill now.

It took her very little time to reach the sentry spot. She was filled with a daze as she sat and stared off into space. The territory would be the same, as always. It was a given. She sat still for a couple minutes, and then decided to quickly check. She flicked her gaze to the ThunderClan territory, and kept her gaze on it.

What she saw was not good. In seconds she was on her paws, fur bristling and eyes filled with astonishment. The water was dissipating quickly – too quickly. No twoleg machine could do that. She noticed that it was being sucked backward, but by what?

Her gaze searched the trees, and what she saw terrified her even more. Twolegs running and yowling with fright, and other forest animals fleeing as well. _Nothing scares twolegs! This can't be happening!_ Her thoughts were getting jumbled, and she forced herself to calm down. Her blue eyes followed the line of trees, and then stopped when she saw what was coming for them.

_RUN!_ The one thought, the one command, was her existence.


	5. Chapter 3

**I'm sorry for the long wait. Here's the next chapter! All will be summarized and some things explained when I update the allegiances soon!**

The mountain of water filled her vision, towering higher than the tallest tree. It swallowed up the land as it came, moving at a terrifying speed. Mistyfoot pushed her legs faster. She _had_ to outrun this menace, or she and her Clanmates would be dead. _We should have gone with the other Clans!_ The one thought sent shivers of despair through her, but Mistyfoot forced it from her mind and kept going.

The rumbling of the water became apparent to her. The forest was silent, except for the yowling of frightened animals. Mistyfoot felt her own terror urge her to yowl with them, but she had to be strong for her Clan.

She saw the silhouette of the camp in the distance and gulped up air for one long, panicked yowl. She couldn't hold her terror in. An answering yowl came from the camp, which was bustling with activity already. _Pebblequake and Minnowstream must have seen the water_ she thought. _We'll save time._

Mistyfoot skidded to a halt on the riverbank. She glanced in the direction of the mountain-water, and saw with horror that it was coming closer every second. Should she cross the water and help her Clanmates?

Leopardstar's voice slid across the water to her. "Stay where you are, Mistyfoot! You need to lead the Clan!".

Mistyfoot struggled to hold down her terror and meow in agreement, but instead she yowled desperately "Hurry! We need to go!".

She trembled with terror as the ominous gurgling of the mountain0-water increased in volume. When would her Clan reappear? She was torn between loyalty to her Clan and self-preservation.

She had nearly surrendered to her instincts and was preparing to take flight when the Clan appeared. Leading the cats was Leopardstar, her unusual golden tabby coat bristling with terror, but her eyes soothing and calm to her Clan. Mistyfoot could see the leader struggling to hold her emotions in, and followed her example. Her face became a calm mask, and she meowed encouragingly to the cats as they began to swim across. She acted as though there wasn't certain death rumbling toward them, and in turn this calmed down the Clan.

Once terrified eyes glazed over, no longer looking frenzied; the Clan was becoming steadfastly determined to survive. Mistyfoot kept track of the mountain-water's progress.

It seemed to take forever for the Clan to cross, and once they did Leopardstar immediately broke in a sprint with her Clan following immediately, trustingly.

As Mistyfoot ran, she realized she could practically taste the desperation of her Clanmates to get out of there. She swiveled her head back and watched for a couple seconds. The elders were being supported on the warriors' broad shoulders, and beside them the heavily-pregnant queens were trying their best. For once, it was good there were no kits to carry. All of their eyes were full of determination.

_This is the spirit of RiverClan. When threatened we will rise up and face it all together. We will die together or live together. There is no in-between._ Mistyfoot quietly felt proud to be the deputy of such a Clan, but then a warning yowl came from a warrior at the back.

"It's gaining! We need to find higher ground!". Mistyfoot recognized Reedwhisker's voice and pushed herself faster. The tom had excellent survival instincts. She had mentored him, and knew this as well as she knew how to use her claws.

Leopardstar acknowledged the tom with a flick of her ear. She swerved suddenly, and led them towards a hill. The hill was sheer, and the only way up was jumping from rock ledge to rock ledge. _Where is this?_ Mistyfoot questioned herself, then realized the obvious. _We've run straight off of RiverClan's territory._

The deputy debated whether it might be wise to tell her leader to find a different spot to escape, but it was too late. The ground was starting to slope beneath Mistyfoot's paws. She sighed and went with it, but slowed down to let the other cats pass her. She wanted to make sure no cat was left behind on the perilous climb. It was what Leopardstar would have done had she not had to lead the Clan at that moment.

She glanced behind her. The mountain-water was frighteningly close, the rumble always increasing in volume. It was only maybe a mile away. They would need to run faster.

The silver-blue she-cat nudged a thickset tabby tom encouragingly. "Come on Heavystep! Only a little farther!". The elder was huffing and puffing, out of warrior fitness now that he was in retirement.

He nodded and took a deep breath before quickening his pace. A brown tabby she-cat appeared – Willowpaw – and the medicine cat apprentice meowed continuous encouragement even though she was panting so hard. Mistyfoot accelerated and nodded to Willowpaw. "I'll take it from here,". The apprentice nodded and quickened her pace to run beside her mentor.

Mistyfoot realized the pace was slackening after a bit, and guessed that they were at the rock ledges. She bounded to the front of the line and helped Leopardstar guide the cats up. The RiverClan leader was calmly nudging them up the ledge, when suddenly the smoky black tom leading the warriors up froze.

"I can't find a way up!" Blackclaw called down, his normally gruff voice void of all emotion except terror. Mistyfoot glanced up, and immediately saw a route.

Leopardstar must have seen the knowledge fill her eyes, because she hissed "You must lead the Clan up! You know what to do! I have lives to lose, you do not!"

Despite her fierce words, Leopardstar looked strangely sad. Her eyes were glazed over with indecision, and she sighed. Mistyfoot looked at her curiously, but didn't question her. Instead, she jumped one bound and landed on the first rock ledge.

Then her mind became focused on the task. Ledge by ledge she made her way up to Blackclaw's side, and then took the lead. She found the easiest route using sharp eyesight, and got there using her muscular legs. All the warriors were going up with ease, for swimming built a lot of muscle in their bodies that the other Clans didn't have. The elders were the only ones having trouble.

A terrified yowl rose from the back. "Oh, Great StarClan, no!"

Mistyfoot paused. She looked down, and saw Minnowstream staring into the distance. With a gulp, Mistyfoot raised her blue eyes and saw that the mountain-water was nearly upon them.

"We're nearly there! I'm picking up the pace!" she yowled, and then definitely picked it up. The elders started lagging, but she couldn't slow down, or she would risk the loss of RiverClan.

She was panting as finally she collapsed on a plateau, then stood upright to help her Clanmates up. She managed to get every one, when suddenly the gurgling sounded louder than before. She raised her eyes and saw with horror the water rushing straight for the high cliff.

It was below the cliff, but the cats who hadn't gotten here yet would die if they didn't get up in the next five seconds. Mistyfoot threw herself into the task.

She helped Beechfur up, then Graymist and Icewing. It was only the three elders who needed help. Leopardstar was nudging Heavystep roughly up the face, and Mosspelt was nudging both Stonestream and Swallowtail.

It happened very quickly. The water reached the RiverClan cats. It smacked into the cliff like the killing blow of a warrior's paw. The shrieks and yowls of RiverClan filled the air as icy spray splattered onto them.

Mistyfoot had closed her eyes, praying to the remainder of StarClan that all five of the cats still coming up had made it in time. Her heart beat against her ribs furiously, and her fur was bristling with sheer terror. She could smell the fear-scent of all her Clanmates around her.

She opened her eyes, and saw her entire Clan cringing into the ground. All of them looked shocked. But had the five survived? Her gaze flew to the entrance to this plateau, and she yowled in mournful agony.

Only one cat stood there.


	6. Chapter 4

The she-cat looked shocked. Her amber eyes gleamed with terror, and her fur was soaked but bristling. It was silent for a few moments after the yowl of agony, and then suddenly the entire Clan leaped forward, covering the dark tabby elder with licks.

"Swallowtail! You're alive!" they meowed all at once, but one by one they fell silent. The other four, where were they? Where they dead or alive? What awaited their gazes at the other side of the cliff?

Mistyfoot tightened her muscles and drew up straight. She walked stiffly to the crest of the hill and looked down. The deputy tried her hardest not to let her horror show, but it was impossible to not hiss with anger.

The mountain-water had uprooted all the trees and created a wasteland. Everything was soaked. Dead bodies of animals lay on the ground, bedraggled and no longer the noble creatures they had been. It was silent. The sun had disappeared and the moon had risen, throwing an eerie blankness over the scene.

She heard the gasps of her Clanmates as they, too, looked over the wasteland. Reedwhisker had appeared at her side, and the agony was plain in his voice when he meowed "Our four lost Clanmates are probably dead,". Mistyfoot didn't show any sign of having heard him, but she glanced at Swallowtail. The elder looked ashamed that she had survived and those four hadn't. Her amber eyes were pools of shame and anger. She looked ready to throw herself off the cliff and follow the same death as her Clanmates, but something rooted her in place and kept her with her Clan.

Mistyfoot turned her head away from the scene and padded away. The survival of her Clan was unlikely. They would need to find a new home or a place to provide them with prey until it all came back. That could take moons, seasons, even a cat's lifetime.

The deputy sighed, and then wondered if the other Clans had survived. None of them could swim, but if she could take a bet she would think WindClan had survived. Those lean cats would be fast enough to outrun the waves. ShadowClan were too muscular and bulky. ThunderClan had tight family ties but were overprotective and hard to control under pressure. They tried to help each other and the other Clans, and that was their downfall.

Mistyfoot's mind wandered over to the survival of Highstones. Was the Clan's connection to StarClan broken off? How would RiverClan ever hear of StarClan again? They had been living in the old territory for seasons after the other Clans had left, and StarClan's RiverClan ancestors had stayed with them. Could the strength of their ancestors not guide them through this?

_What if Leopardstar is dead? How will I become leader? Wait, Leopardstar dead?! StarClan help us!_ Her thoughts were becoming more and more despaired, when a rustle sounded behind her.

The gray she-cat sighed and turned around to see the entire Clan looking at her expectantly. They expected her to take charge now that Leopardstar had seemed to have fallen. The deputy braced herself, and lifted her head. Her blue eyes began to sparkle with command and encouragement.

"RiverClan warriors, we have been struck a hard blow. It looks like Leopardstar, Mosspelt, Heavystep, and Stonestream are dead. We are grateful to StarClan that Swallowtail is still here with us. I won't lie to you – our territory is a wasteland. The prey will have gone. We have to find a new home, if only temporarily. Things will go on as normally as possible, but expect some hungry moons ahead of us. Thank StarClan that Mothwing and Willowpaw are still here to treat us, and thank StarClan for the catd who have survived. We will get through this, as RiverClan has always done,".

Mistyfoot finished her speech and received a nod of approval from Blackclaw sitting in the front row. The smoky black warrior was still the most senior warrior there, and his approval made Mistyfoot feel more confident.

"I will need a small scouting patrol," she announced. Her eyes swept the group, looking for agile but muscular cats. "Rippletail and Minnowstream, scout the territory. Look for our four fallen Clanmates. Look for prey. Take in the real conditions. Try and hunt on the way back. I want you here by sunrise,". The two young warriors nodded, flexed their muscles, and bounded away. Mistyfoot watched them leap from rock to rock and land perfectly before turning back to her Clan. _My Clan_ she realized. _They're mine now._

"I'm afraid there isn't much we can do while we're waiting for Rippletail and Minnowstream. Rest while you still can. If you have any questions that I can answer, please ask. I'll be over by the exit,". The Clan nodded in affirmation and just sat. Their heads tilted to the sky to watch the stars brighten as the night went on, and then dwindle to nothing as day came.

* * *

The sun was spilling it's bright orange colors over the horizon when a small crackle of stones was heard. Mistyfoot rose stiffly with the rest of the Clan and padded forward as the scouting party returned. Rippletail and Minnowstream came back empty-pawed. There was no prey to hunt. Their eyes held a blazing sadness at what they had just seen.

Being more senior, it was Rippletail who spoke. "We checked out our territory. The river is nearly gone. The mountain-water took that. All of the trees in our territory are fallen. There is no prey. Our camp no longer exists. We looked at ThunderClan's territory. A couple trees are standing, but everywhere we look there is wasteland…..". The tom trailed off, unable to continue. Mistyfoot nodded in understanding.

"Is there any shelter?" called out Beechfur. Rippletail shook his head and exchanged mournful looks with the other warrior. Mistyfoot shook her head. "RiverClan, this news is not good. There isn't any prey, so we'll have to travel to find it,". The deputy didn't say another word. She just bunched her muscles, lowered her head, and plodded forward.

In twelve leaps she and the rest of the Clan were at the bottom of the cliff. The ground beneath her paws was marshy and hard to get a grip on. Water oozed up underneath their pads. All the grass had been torn from the ground, but grass always grew back as quickly as it had gone.

The deputy scented the air, and then sniffed the air again. The forest had taken on a watery smell, almost like fish. It smelled too heavy, too strong, and Mistyfoot wrinkled her nose. There was no trace of prey on the breeze, and no sign of their lost Clanmates. Despair swept through her like the mountain-water itself, but she forced herself to pad onward.

She led the Clan deep into their territory, unwilling to see what had become of the camp. The cats behind her shared her unwillingness, and at the same time lent strength to each other. The RiverClan spirit was back and stronger now underneath the pressure and sorrow and despair that every cat felt.

They trekked until sunhigh, and then took a quick break. The river was just ahead of them, and Mistyfoot braced herself. The sight of their beloved river gone would shatter them all, and there were no herbs to calm the nerves the Clan would feel.

Mistyfoot took one last breath, and then signaled to the Clan. She padded out to the edge of the river and looked down. Her heart leapt into her throat, but out of excitement. The water was returning! It was growing in level before her very eyes, filling up the huge bowl of the river with speed. This water looked calm and inviting. The only bad part was the dead fish that floated on top. It smelled awful, but it was prey.

The Clan seemed to share her thoughts on the prey part. Without asking for permission, Blackclaw leaped into the water. He disappeared below and then reappeared, thrusting through the water strongly with his paws. He picked up a long silver fish and then turned around and swam back to the bank. He tossed it up to the waiting Voletooth, who in turn took it to Swallowtail. The elder accepted the prey and took a big bite to start eating.

Mistyfoot counted the fish in the water. Five were left after Blackclaw's first. It would be enough to feed nearly all the warriors. Mistyfoot decided she would pass. _The Clan matters more. _

Graymist and Icewing shared theirs, and Beechfur and Rippletail shared one. Mothwing and Willowpaw shared a third, and Dawnflower and Dapplenose shared a fourth. Blackclaw tossed the last to Pouncetail, and Voletooth followed and shared it with the young tom. Both Blackclaw and Reedwhisker passed, and came to sit beside her while the rest of the Clan ate. "There'll be more prey," hissed Blackclaw under his breath, but his long, black claws tore through the muddy ground and became covered with wet dirt. Mistyfoot hissed to silence the tom, angry at his lack of self-sacrifice. The senior warrior fell silent.

The sun would set soon. Mistyfoot wanted them settled beneath some trees before the night. She stood and yowled to call to her Clan. All the warriors stood, now with full stomachs and new energy to get out of this mess. Mistyfoot nodded to them and leaped into the river. She swam across and sprang onto the opposite bank. RiverClan followed, and once they were all on the ThunderClan side she turned and led them forward.

ThunderClan's land was untouched. No cat had ventured here after they had left. It smelled mostly of water, but there was an extremely faint tinge of ThunderClan, sniffable only to the sharpest of noses. Mistyfoot bunched her muscles and picked up the pace. A large tree devoid of all leaves was in her path. It stood up strong, but with a huge black tree lying in front of it. Mistyfoot sprang onto the top of this log, and then over. The Clan followed, beginning to pant as all the obstacles to jump in their paths wore down their endurance. Mistyfoot knew they needed to stop soon, but she needed to find some prey for herself first. Her belly was yowling with hunger. The deputy couldn't remember the last time she had eaten.

She sniffed the air, and then slid on the muddy ground to a stop. Her nose _had _to be lying. She sniffed again, ignoring the complaints of her Clan as they stopped beside her. "Mistyfoot, what is it?" hissed Dawnflower, her eyes furious with the sudden stoppage. Mistyfoot sniffed again pointedly. Reedwhisker picked up on the cue, and sniffed as well. His eyes widened with shock.

One by one, every cat sniffed the air. Every senior warrior's face was a mask of disbelief. They _had _to have picked up an old scent, but it would have to be seasons upon seasons old, and this cat could only have been around for a couple seasons.

Mistyfoot hissed "Blackclaw, you're in charge. Dawnflower, Voletooth, Pebblequake, with me,". The named three appeared at her flank, and then they all broke into a run. Mistyfoot followed her nose, trusting it like she had for a very long time. They cleared one huge tree, and then Mistyfoot saw with complete delight the gray tom walking slowly over the marshy earth.

"Graystripe!"


	7. Chapter 5

The gray tom that Mistyfoot called out to had a very different reaction than the one she expected. Graystripe hissed menacingly and dropped into a crouch. There was another long hiss, and Mistyfoot saw with surprise that Graystripe had a cat with him. The she-cat was a gray tabby with dark gray stripes along her pelt. Her claws were dull but looked to be sharpening. They would rip through fur, that was for sure.

Mistyfoot tried to connect with the tom. "Graystripe?" she repeated.

The former ThunderClan warrior looked back at her with suspicious blue eyes that gradually filled with recognition. He relaxed, loosening up and shrinking in size. The she-cat at his side kept up her aggressive stance, but Graystripe calmed her by stroking her shoulder with his tail.

"It's okay Millie," he meowed softly. The gray tabby eventually sank to the same level as him. It was only then that Graystripe greeted the RiverClan warriors.

"Mistyfoot! What happened?" he meowed. His eyes looked around at the fallen trees, and he shifted his weight on the muddy ground.

Mistyfoot sighed. "Water so high that it was like a mountain…..it destroyed everything. Part of us have survived,"

Graystripe's eyes brightened. "So ThunderClan survived?" he asked excitedly. He seemed oblivious to the pain of the RiverClan she-cat.

The deputy – maybe leader now – of RiverClan sighed again. "There's a lot of explaining that needs to be done Graystripe," she meowed sadly. "You see, ThunderClan are no longer in the forest. Neither are WindClan and ShadowClan. They left when twolegs came, ripping up their territories. We were not affected. However, the mountain-water has taken some of our own. Leopardstar, Heavystep, and Stonestream may be dead,"

Graystripe's eyes narrowed, but before he could speak the she-cat – Millie, Mistyfoot remembered – spoke from his side. "Are you RiverClan?".

Mistyfoot nodded. "I'm Mistyfoot, the deputy of RiverClan. This is Voletooth, Dawnflower, and Pebblequake,". Each cat meowed a greeting as she said his or her name. Millie nodded her head to each cat, and then introduced herself.

"I'm Millie. I came from the Twolegplace where Graystripe was taken – I'm sure you remember that, particularly you Mistyfoot. I've come with him to join the Clans,",

Graystripe proudly added "She's my new mate too. Speaking of which, how is Stormfur?".

"Well, of course, you already know what happened to the Clans. Stormfur went with them. He wanted to be with a Tribe she-cat, Brook Where Small Fish Swim,"

Graystripe's eyes darkened, but he nodded. He understood what it was like to sacrifice your Clan for the cat you loved. He had done it himself, for the RiverClan she-cat Silverstream.

Millie spoke from his side. "We better be moving then, Graystripe. We have to get to where ThunderClan went, don't we?"

Graystripe glanced at the sky. It was getting dark, and they would have to stop soon anyway. "I think we should spend the night with RiverClan – if that's okay with you?" he asked, switching his gaze to Mistyfoot.

Mistyfoot nodded. "Of course. I warn you, though, we don't have a lot of food, and we're traveling ourselves to find a place to sustain us. We need go get away from here until everything goes back to normal, so we are a bit disorganized. If you could just help the Clan along, I'd be grateful,"

Graystripe dipped his head. "Sure. If you were planning to head towards Highstones, then you'll just help us along. Where is the Clan anyway?"

Mistyfoot flicked her tail behind her, then turned and led the way. A low hiss issued from the blackness, but Mistyfoot quickly meowed "It's okay Rippletail. We have visitors – Graystripe and Millie,"

The dark gray tabby tom appeared, saw the cats, and nodded. He didn't question the presence of the two new cats, and instead led the group back to the Clan.

RiverClan were stretched out on the ground. Some of them were trying their luck with hunting, and catching nothing. Even Reedwhisker, who was one of the best hunters in the Clan, hadn't managed to find anything. Mothwing and Willowpaw moved alongside the cats, meowing to them to sooth their minds and watching for injuries. Willowpaw carried a very small supply of herbs in her mouth; they had been lucky to find any, really.

The arrival of Mistyfoot and the two visitors caused a stir through the ranks of the Clan. Each cat turned to watch as Mistyfoot led Graystripe and Millie forward. "This is Graystripe and Millie," she announced. "I'm sure we all know who Graystripe is,"

Murmurs of recognition went through the Clan, and a couple cats stood to pad up and talk to the lost warrior. Mistyfoot left, her head heavy with worry, and padded up to Blackclaw. "Any sign of our fallen?" she asked. The senior warrior shook his head. "None. You have to go to StarClan, Mistyfoot; you have to become our leader,"

The reply of the deputy was fierce; "I will not go and become Mistystar until there is proof that Leopardstar is dead,"

Blackclaw dipped his head, his eyes filling with understanding. "Of course,"

The gray she-cat simply nodded, then went to find herself a place to sleep. She curled up in the open, finding no place and feeling uncomfortable already. _How do WindClan cats stand it? _was her last thought before she crashed into sleep.

* * *

Mistyfoot woke up, but didn't really. She awoke at Fourtrees, with moonlight glimmering above. Everything seemed surreal in its lightness and clearness; every detail was sharp, defined. Her blue eyes widened with shock. She was having a dream from StarClan!

A gray tom picked his way over the soft, bright grass. His silver coat glimmered with a white radiance, just barely dotted with stars. He was a new spirit, not yet fully transformed into the physique of a StarClan warrior, and as so he was recognizable.

"Stonestream!" whispered Mistyfoot. The elder acknowledged her with a flick of an ear, and then motioned for her to sit next to him. When Mistyfoot had sat, Stonestream meowed "There is much troubling you, Mistyfoot, but all will become clear. Look for where the sky is the ground, and you will find your fallen,"

Mistyfoot's blue eyes filled with confusion. "Can't you explain more?" she asked, trying her hardest to hide her desperation for information.

The StarClan cat shook his head. "No. Telling you outright what is to happen may change the course of events that is to happen. You'll understand tomorrow; now sleep, and rest, and become strong,". He stood and touched his nose to her shoulder. Mistyfoot instantly felt the power of deep sleep crash through her, and the dream was gone.

It was replaced with the scent of mud and water, and the strong scent of RiverClan. Her eyes snapped open; her paws brought her to an upright position. Her muzzle pointed to the stars, where her warrior ancestors were blinking out as the day arrived.

It was time to go. She moved from cat to cat and woke all, before summoning them with a flick of her tail and leading them away from where they were; the middle of ThunderClan territory. It was early, and this was good; if they made good progress they could find a place to hunt before nightfall. Mistyfoot's belly was yowling, and so would the Clan's stomachs. They needed to hunt, or else they risked starvation.

She led them to Fourtrees before pausing to let everybody rest. Swallowtail was puffing hard, and collapsed onto the ground. Willowpaw joined her. Mothwing refused to be tired, instead going from cat to cat and checking for illness and injury.

Mistyfoot padded up to Mosspelt. The tortoiseshell she-cat was sharing tongues with her former apprentice. "Can you try for some hunting?" asked Mistyfoot. "Take Pebblequake with you and try in the direction of our territory,"

Mosspelt nodded and was off shortly with Pebblequake at her side. Mistyfoot watched them go, and then walked in the direction of ShadowClan's land.

It was by far the wettest ground she had ever walked on. She hissed with annoyance each time her paws sunk into a particularly soggy patch of dirt. There was a faint trace of prey on the breeze, but based on the sucking sound she was making it would hear her coming.

Then an idea came to her. Why not use the debris for walking? She leaped onto a fallen trunk and scented the air. A strange scent, not quite fish but not a ground animal, hit the roof of her mouth. It was strong. _Frog? _she questioned herself, and nodded. _Yes, frog. _

Being careful to be as quiet as possible, she looked out over the wasteland and saw the green body of a frog. Moving slowly and making her leaps fast, she got to a position just a fox length from the frog. She tensed for the pounce, and when she finally pushed off she easily got the frog between her paws. She lowered her head and gave the killing bite. _Prey for the Clan! _she cheered inside her head. She drank in the breeze one last time and then followed her scent trail back.

Her belly groaned in protest, but she persisted in not eating the frog. As soon as she came back she saw Pebblequake walking into Fourtrees, a mouse in his jaws. Mosspelt had a larger catch – a vole and a large rabbit. Mistyfoot's mouth watered, but she made herself take the frog and drop it in front of Mothwing and Willowpaw. Both meowed their thanks and then began to embark on an adventure – how do we eat frog?

Mistyfoot saw the rabbit go to Swallowtail, who insisted on sharing it with Dawnflower and Minnowstream. The vole was shared between Blackclaw and Voletooth. Mistyfoot turned to go back out hunting when a tail landed smack in front of her.

Her blue eyes rose to meet Reedwhisker's amber ones. "You haven't eaten for days. Here,"

He dropped a fish in front of her. She began to protest, but he simply turned and walked away. Feeling a bit embarrassed that she had the biggest meal, she turned and asked Dapplenose to share with her. The mottled gray she-cat obliged, taking the first bite and then letting her eat.

Her meal finished and energy flowing into her body, Mistyfoot stood and yowled to call the Clan to attention. She padded to the head and began to lead them up the slope into WindClan's territory.

As soon as she reached the top, panting slightly, she stopped in pure shock. The land in front of her was too flat to allow proper drainage, and water covered it. It was sunny and cold, but not cold enough to freeze the water. The sky was reflected on the surface.

As she studied this, the words of Stonestream were whispered in her ear. _Look for where the sky is the ground. _

Her blue eyes scanned the ground, and terror filled them when she saw the golden tabby lump of fur that was her leader lying on the shore of the ocean. The surprised and terrified yowling of her Clan was just filling the air when she reached the body of her beloved leader.


	8. Chapter 6

The waves of sadness crashing through the deputy nearly knocked her off her paws. She was a fox length away when she finally collapsed. Her body was trembling, trembling with the force of her grief. It felt like her heart had been ripped out of her.

All was silent behind her. The cats of RiverClan had stopped their mournful lament. Quietly, quietly, heads bowed, every cat walked forward, and then sat at Mistyfoot's back. Mistyfoot's blue eyes filled with a new level of grief when she realized why; she was the leader of RiverClan now. She had to lead them to their dead leader, guide them through their grieving, and show strength for their sake.

A tail was suddenly rested on her shoulder. Her eyes flicked over to see Reedwhisker, ever faithful, reminding her of her duty. Her blue eyes met his amber ones, and she nodded before standing. Reedwhisker backed away, and together the Clan advanced toward their fallen leader.

Leopardstar's body was wet and mangled. Dirt was coated in the dappled fur, and a few stray twigs as well. Her claws were unsheathed, and on her face was an expression of pure defiance. Mistyfoot's body tingled. Her brave leader had gone down fighting.

A dappled golden she-cat slipped past, and began to examine Leopardstar. Stepping back, Mistyfoot sat with her Clan while Mothwing examined the body, confirming the leader's death. Willowpaw appeared at her side shortly, her own eyes struck with grief. But her grief was nothing compared to the expression slowly forming on Mothwing's face.

The RiverClan medicine cat's face was twisted with shock. Her amber eyes were alit with the fire of pain, and the even hotter fire of fury. Mistyfoot was instantly alarmed. What had happened to their leader that surprised Mothwing so much?

Willowpaw, too, had noticed her mentor's surprise. She padded forward and began examining the body herself. A similar look of shock flooded over her face, and a surprised meow laced with fury came through her suddenly gritted teeth. Quickly, Mistyfoot advanced, bending so that the smaller Willowpaw could whisper in her ear.

Not even bothering to keep her voice down, Willowpaw snarled "Our leader was murdered!"

The brown tabby apprentice turned and lifted Leopardstar's head gently. And there, unmistakably clear and matted with blood, was a throat slashed open purposely by a cat's claws.

* * *

_It was nighttime in the forest. The bronze colored tom bound easily through the ruined undergrowth. His muscled legs made it easy for him to jump from debris pile to the next. He was hardly panting as he halted in the clearing he knew the Clans had called Fourtrees. Well, those trees were gone now. The only thing remaining were four round, perfect stones. They were within easy reach, and were positioned exactly where the great oaks had been. _

_It was perfect. The Clan gathering place had been protected once more. Happiness briefly trilled through the warrior tom, but it didn't last for long. His ears picked up the slightest of sound, and in one fluid movement he turned and four cats that were jumping towards him as easily as he could move. _

_"Flame! We were looking all over for you!" meowed a black she-cat. Her dark olive-green eyes were locked on Flame's own, holding them to her intensely. She never looked away, Flame knew, and so he chose to break the gaze and look out at his three other companions. _

_It was Saber who spoke next. "Flame. A mountain-water has come and taken away the Clan's home. How will we ever become Clan cats now?". The dark gray tabby's words were layered with resignation and despair. It had long since been the ambition of Flame's group to join the Clans, but then three of them left. RiverClan had probably just been wiped out. Hopes for joining the Clan were at an all time low. _

_"I don't know, Saber," meowed Flame. His voice echoed with a hint of the sadness Saber felt, but he was better at hiding his emotions - and therefore, a better leader. _

_The black she-cat spoke again. "Flame, we must join somehow. It has been our goal for too long,". _

_Flame sighed. "I know, Shadow. But we have to take into account that RiverClan probably aren't the most welcoming to newcomers right now. Prey must be scarce. Speaking of the Clan - Wolf, where are they currently?". _

_The light brown tom who spoke was lean and agile. "They are traveling in our direction. In fact.....". He broke off, his nose tingling. "They're coming!" he hissed. As one, the group of cats turned and raced away up the slope and into WindClan's old territory. Flame glanced back, and then raised his tail. They were safe. All the cats broke off, hardly panting, and leaned over to watch the RiverClan warriors. _

_The gray tabby she-cat with light blue eyes was directing the Clan. Eventually, each cat had their space, and everyone was sleeping. Flame sighed with longing. He was tired of the life of a loner. He and his friends knew the warrior code as well as a Clan warrior, and each knew the boundaries, names, and histories of the Clans. There had once been a snappy she-cat with yellow eyes who had come upon Flame's mother Dark, and the two had become friends. It was how Flame knew about the Clans. Later, he learned, the she-cat had become ThunderClan's medicine cat, making her an oddity._

_"That was close," came a murmur from a dark orange tom. His black legs blended with the night perfectly. "True, Fox," meowed Flame, and then turned back to his companions. _

_"We'll find a way to enter the Clans," he meowed confidently. The group looked at him doubtfully. He raised his head higher and was about to say something when suddenly he crouched down, and his claws slid out. Instantly the other cats copied him. _

_An unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat had appeared. She hobbled along, water logged and weak. The cats instantly recognized her as Leopardstar - but there was something else. A black tom who blended with the night perfectly was creeping up behind the leader. His stride was smooth and boasted the silence of the expert hunter. Flame hissed. "Night!". _

_The group of five bolted for the RiverClan leader, but it was too late. Night had leaped onto the she-cat's back, and had expertly taken her down. His paw slapped against her throat, constricting the air so she was silent, and in one swift motion his teeth dug in to Leopardstar's throat. Then, quickly, he released and tore away. He had seen them coming, and couldn't win a fight against so many adversaries. _

_"Wolf, Saber, after him!" commanded Flame. The two he named instantly separated, hoping to cut off the enemy tom's escape route. Flame's mind refocused on the fallen leader. He skidded to a halt in front of her body, and snarled hatred at Night. Then, miraculously, one of Leopardstar's eyes opened. Her eyes were already fading, as her soul was dissolved into StarClan. But the ast words the leader meowed brought hope to Flame; the she-cat meowed "You will have your wish,", and then joined the ranks of StarClan barely a second after._

_Flame meowed in despair, and hesitated. Shadow had come and was supporting his slightly sagging body, while Fox was on the lookout for commotion from RiverClan. Flame calmed his breathing, took comfort in Shadow's presence, and meowed "We can't tell RiverClan. They will assume we did it. We will get into the Clan, though,". A look crossed his face, one of ingenuity. _

_"We will prove who killed Leopardstar. And then they'll HAVE to let us in!". _

_His joyous meow was echoed by his companions. As one, they quietly honored Leopardstar by swearing vengeance on her StarClan-forbidden killer._


	9. Chapter 7

**Here are cat descriptions for our four new characters, and Graystripe and Millie as well; **

**Flame – muscled bronze tomcat**

**Shadow – black she-cat with olive green eyes**

**Saber – dark gray tabby she-cat**

**Wolf – agile light brown tom**

**Fox – dark orange tom, black legs**

**Night – pure black tom, dark blue eyes**

**Graystripe – steel gray tom**

**Millie – gray tabby she-cat, dark gray stripes**

**I hope you are all enjoying the story so far! We may alternate perspectives in one chapter and maybe have an entire one dedicated to Flame and his group. Please tell me how you like this development! **

The shocked caterwauls of the Clan rose like a mouse's silent death cry. Mistyfoot herself was shocked. She staggered backward, then halted. She _had _to show strength for her Clan. Fixing her gaze into one of tight control, she padded forward and crouched beside Willowpaw. Her gaze focused on the wound.

"It looks like she was clawed and then bitten," commented Mistyfoot emotionlessly. She was anything but emotionless; in fact, her current mental state was as violent as the mountain-water.

A sudden yowl came from Blackclaw. "Scent trail, rogue cat," reported the smoky black tom. His amber eyes glared with vengeance, and his tail lashed impatiently. Knowing instantly what the senior warrior wanted, Mistyfoot meowed "Mosspelt, Pouncetail, go with him. Be back by moonhigh,"

The patrol nodded and, with Blackclaw leading, followed the scent trail deeper into WindClan's territory. The patrol would have to swim, but why worry? RiverClan were adept at the skill.

Mistyfoot turned back to her Clan and rose her voice. "Cats of RiverClan, our leader has not been killed by the mountain-water, but by another cat. Blackclaw's patrol will find this cat, either that or we will hunt him down without mercy. Until then, we must travel outside of Clan territory and find a temporary home. The prey will return in one moon. Until then, we will be safe,"

Mistyfoot couldn't help but shiver at the last part. It was dead in the middle of leaf bare. Graymist was expecting kits – probably Voletooth's – and Icewing would be giving birth very, very soon to Beechfur's kits. RiverClan needed to be stabilized for the potential kits' wellbeing.

She lashed her tail. There was so much to get done…..

"I will also be going to the Moonstone when we reach Highstones to be appointed as leader before StarClan. StarClan be with us....." Her meow trailed off uneasily, and she lashed her tail again. "Until Blackclaw's patrol returns we will wait here and grieve for Leopardstar. I know it isn't nighttime, but tradition must be broken for the good of our Clan. We will die if we continue to live on the slim pickings we have here,"

Her Clan meowed with agreement. Dapplenose called out "What about hunting? Who will the new deputy be?" Mistyfoot's yowl rang loud and clear. "Every cat can hunt, but not alone. At least two cats per hunting party, one a warrior," _Completely unnecessary, you know _she thought to herself. _Seeing as Willowpaw is the only apprentice. _

The Clan began to break up without being told. All of the cats turned and settled themselves around their fallen leader. A similar tale of grief was spun in each pair of eyes. The warriors touched their pelts to one another, sending strength to their Clanmates. Mothwing had padded to take her place at Leopardstar's head, her eyes fixed on the sky. Mistyfoot knew it would stay there until the stars emerged. Willowpaw copied her mentor, a smaller version of the RiverClan medicine cat looking up to seek the stars in the blue skies of day.

Graystripe and Millie hesitated before joining the Clan. Graystripe looked very sad to see a cat who had once been his leader dead, while Millie just looked awkward. Mistyfoot watched them, then decided to leave them alone. She couldn't afford to watch them right now and make sure the Clan treated them all right. It seemed like the Clan was too grief-stricken to care anyway.

Mistyfoot felt exhausted by grief. She padded to her leader and crouched down beside her, resting her muzzle on Leopardstar's shoulder. Everything would be different now….

She straightened up, and glanced at her Clan. They all seemed to be paralyzed by grief. She knew that they all needed to hunt, and glanced around for a cat to take with her. Even if she was Clan leader she had to abide by her rules.

Her gaze fell on Reedwhisker. The black tom was crouched by his leader like the others, but he was fidgeting, as if he knew there was other work to be done. Mistyfoot gathered herself and meowed "Reedwhisker!"

The tom looked up, then stood and padded over. "Mistyfoot?"

"Hunting patrol," meowed Mistyfoot shortly. "Is there any other cat we can bring with us?"

Minnowstream approached, her silver pelt dirty from lying in the mud next to Leopardstar. "I'll go," she volunteered. Her long claws dug through the mud. "I wouldn't mind seeing if we could meet up with the Murderer,"

Mistyfoot nodded to him, slightly amused that the Clan was already naming the killer of their leader. But it wasn't a funny matter, and there was work to be done. She shook out her pelt, and then meowed "Right, follow me," She led them up to ShadowClan's territory, keen to explore what had become of the marshy land.

It was dirty, all right. They could hardly move through it. Mistyfoot hissed as a frog, startled by their approach, took off. Minnowstream flashed after it, moving clumsily through the wet, and Mistyfoot hissed again. It would be impossible to hunt.

She and Reedwhisker quietly padded through the muck. Their paws made sucking sounds on the ground. It was scaring all the prey away. Bracing herself, Mistyfoot leaped onto a fallen trunk and then leaped from pile to pile of debris as quietly as possible. Her flashes of movement still gave plenty of warning to any prey that was there.

Knowing it was her only hope, Mistyfoot paused on a particularly large rock and became a statue. Her mud splattered pelt blended with all the other mud-splattered stuff. It was similar to a technique used by the Tribe of Rushing Water, she realized. _Well, here's to hoping it works _she thought, and waited.

Eventually, a small, thin mouse appeared. It was moving very slowly, ears and nose on high alert while its eyes searched for food. Mistyfoot watched it with narrowed eyes, not even daring to breathe as it came closer and closer. At last she tensed her hind legs, and then pushed off.

The mouse saw her coming and squeaked with terror, whipping around and heading for a small space in the debris where Mistyfoot couldn't follow. Mistyfoot's leap brought her to where the mouse used to be, and the leader doubled her pace. With one last leap she had the mouse in her teeth, killing it with one sharp bite. She sent a quiet prayer of thanks to StarClan before turning to find her patrol.

Reedwhisker had been watching her admiringly. His amber eyes were impressed. "Well done Mistyfoot!" he exclaimed. "You must be on the life where you're a great hunter," Mistyfoot purred with amusement. 'Have you had my luck today?" Reedwhisker shook his head, then added "I think Minnowstream might have caught something,"

Mistyfoot didn't risk putting her hard-caught prey on the muddy ground. She followed Reedwhisker to where Minnowstream was holding a mouse similar to Mistyfoot's – small and skinny, barely a mouthful and definitely not what the Clan needed. Mistyfoot groaned in her head. This was their catch, and it was pathetic.

She flicked her tail and led her cats back to their make-shift camp. The sun was still nowhere near setting – there was plenty of time to hunt yet. She returned and saw that her Clan was still clustered around Leopardstar. Finding a dry patch of ground, Mistyfoot dropped her catch and Minnowstream added hers. Reedwhisker had disappeared, but Mistyfoot found him leading out another patrol with Graystripe, Millie, and Rippletail. She purred. Reedwhisker knew what he was doing.

Minnowstream padded over to her leader and settled herself down next to Dapplenose. The two cats sought comfort in each other. Mistyfoot tore her gaze away, instead padding to the medicine cats. "Do you need anything? Prey?" she prompted. Both shook their heads, gazes still trained on the sky. Mistyfoot nodded in respect and padded to the side of her dead leader. She would begin to grieve now.

She lifted her head after many hours to see the sun sinking into the sky. There was an oncoming scent of RiverClan, and she stood as Blackclaw and his patrol appeared. All of them looked like they had been fighting, their fur ripped in some places. Pouncetail was bleeding on his shoulder, and Mosspelt was limping slightly like she had something stuck in her pad.

She bounded forward, and Blackclaw meowed "We met up with the Murderer. He's a black tom called Night, and he's cleverer than StarClan," His voice had snarled the last part. "He tricked us, and then fought all of us at once. He's an amazing fighter – too good. He made us walk right through a thorn bush, and when we came out he clawed Pouncetail's shoulder. Mosspelt couldn't walk because of the thorns, and I had to fight him. He got scared and ran away, but left his mark. Great StarClan, I want to kill him!" His hissing was echoed by his patrol.

Mothwing appeared. "I only have cobwebs to staunch your bleeding. Some marigold leaves too I think, but no poppy seeds," She treated the two warriors then and there, cleaning Pouncetail's wound with her tongue and then patching it up with marigold and cobwebs. She pulled a thorn out of Mosspelt's pad, causing Mosspelt to hiss with the sudden pain, and then patched it up with cobwebs. The two warriors she treated murmured their thanks and went off to sit by their leader. Blackclaw joined them, lashing his tail.

Mothwing nodded once to Mistyfoot and then joined the Clan again. She resumed her position by Willowpaw's side.

Graystripe and Millie appeared with Reedwhisker then. Graystripe carried a small shrew, Millie a mouse. Reedwhisker had a thin, bony rabbit. They dropped their catch beside the two mice and then joined the grieving party.

Mistyfoot realized it was moondawn. Would the Clan expect her to name a new deputy? She lay down by her leader and thought as the moon climbed higher and higher in the sky. She ran through all her choices, but only one stood out to her.

The Clan was beginning to grow restless. She shared their restlessness, and knew they all needed a good sleep. Raising her head to the stars she saw it was moonhigh, and time to name a new deputy. She stood, and at once the eyes of the entire Clan focused on her. Mistyfoot padded to an open space where she could be seen by every cat, and then meowed "Moonhigh is here. It is time to name a new deputy,"

RiverClan murmured agreement and all stood to form lines in front of her. Mistyfoot began to speak. "StarClan, it has come time to name RiverClan's new deputy before your watchful gaze. May you hear and approve my choice. The new deputy of RiverClan will be Reedwhisker,"

As if in answer to her words a shooting star blazed across the sky. Mistyfoot though it was similar to the two that slashed through the moon, and contentment filled her. The Clan accepted her choice without question. They chanted "Reedwhisker, Reedwhisker,"

The black tom had stood, his amber eyes glowing with pride. "Thank you RiverClan, thank you Mistyfoot. I hope to be as good a deputy as you were, and that I will help you take up Leopardstar's mantle,"

Meows of agreement and admiration rose from the Clan. Mistyfoot dipped her head, then waved her tail. "We have a leader to grieve for, and we have a journey tomorrow,"

She walked forward and settled herself at Leopardstar's side. The Clan gathered around, and together they grieved until the sun was peeking over the horizon.


	10. Chapter 8

**Ahh, Hawkfrost's story is soon to be revealed…..**

_The group of three moved quietly through the forest, aware of every sound they made and every sound made by another cat. Each guarded the other, while they all followed the scent trail that had been left behind. _

_Flame lifted his tail, pausing his patrol. The scent of Saber and Wolf had grown stronger, and so had Night's. Parting his jaws, he broke into a run and careened into a clearing. _

_Night was cornered, teeth bared in defiance at the two tracking cats. "I knew you were there," he hissed. _

_Saber and Wolf took no notice of the sudden appearance of the rest of the group. "You. Are. Coming. With. Us," hissed Saber. Her pelt was bristling with fury, but the strong gleam of desire shown in her blue eyes. _

_Flame padded up and rested his tail briefly on the furious she-cat's shoulder. She didn't relax, but she seemed to thoroughly glue her paws to the ground. "I want to kill him like he killed Leopardstar!" she hissed very quietly. _

_Wolf suddenly hissed "Clan cats!" Quickly the patrol disappeared after casting one last angry glance at Night. Shortly, RiverClan warriors came, their eyes burning as they saw Night. _

"_The killer! Attack!" yowled the smoky black tom leading them. A ginger and white to leaped forward, while a tortoiseshell she-cat pounced at a different angle. Blackclaw waited. _

_Night turned and fled, yowling hysterically "Reduced to three cats on one? Have no honor?" His paws seemed to stick to the ground better than the RiverClanners. The three warriors helplessly slid after them. _

_At once Flame's group emerged. Saber's eyes held a glint of murder. "Let's help them!" she hissed, unsheathing her claws. _

_Fox meowed from his place in the shadows "Why not Flame? They might take us back with them,"_

"_Or," meowed Shadow gravely, "they might think we're on Night's side. It wouldn't work," _

_Flame nodded agreement with Shadow. "We must think of a craftier approach. If we could maybe stage something….." He trailed off, a plan taking shape. "Come on everyone, we should go. We need to hunt, even though there isn't any prey," _

_Some low purrs of amusement came from all around, and then they spaced out. Wolf stuck with Flame, as was his task. Shadow stuck to Flame as well. Fox and Saber disappeared together into the night. _

_There was hardly any prey scent, but these cats had long since learned to hunt at night. They merged with the shadows and waited. _

_There was a small crackle of small paws running over debris. A skinny vole was doing some night hunting, hoping to be safe rather than in the daylight. Cats were not nocturnal creatures, after all. Unfortunately for this vole, there wasn't safety anywhere at any time. _

_Flame ghosted forward on light paws. He never once stepped into the bright moonlight, flitting from shadow to shadow with accuracy and speed. The vole never noticed a thing, until it saw a flash of a bronze cat and saw the silver claw slicing through its own throat. _

_There was no cry from the vole, and Flame restrained a purr. No sound to scare off the other prey! He lifted his kill in his mouth, not daring to let it bleed out into the soggy ground. He glanced at Shadow and saw that she had brought down a mouse, and then at Wolf to see him crouched and ready to pounce. The group had amazing night vision, which was why Flame could see as Wolf sprang, low and fast, and landed on a mouse. The mouse gave a shrieking cry, which Wolf quickly cut off. _

_Flame growled, loud enough for Wolf to hear. Now there would be less prey for every one. The agile tom's disappointment in himself made his shoulders droop. Flame was unrelenting. The tom should be ashamed. _

_Flame crunched into his fresh kill, his ears flicking at Shadow in a question to join him. The black she-cat padded forward with her prey already half gone. They lay down side by side and conversed in low tones. Wolf had chosen to eat his prey out of their sight so that he didn't get growled at again. That was Wolf – obedient like a Clan apprentice. He _was _only about fifteen moons, but his senses were extremely well developed. _

_Saber suddenly appeared with a fish. She was the only one of the group to have mastered fishing. Fox returned empty pawed. Flame sighed to himself. He would have to teach the cat how to hunt one day. Fox was an amazing fighter, but not a good hunter due to his large build. _

_Flame finished his fresh kill before the rest. He stood and sniffed the air, letting it rush up to the roof of his mouth when he opened and inhaled. There was a small trace of RiverClan, but it was faint. They had been by at sundown. _

_The tom rose to his paws and meowed quietly "I have a plan for how to get us in the Clan. It isn't done yet, but it involves us and Night – obviously," He sat back down. His group needed to be reassured that he had it all figured out, or they would scatter. _

_The plan put itself together like the stars forming shapes in the sky as time went on. He saw what he had to do, and stood once more. At once, the gazes of his cats focused on him. All of them were done with their prey, and had been quietly sharing the night. _

"_I have my plan. RiverClan are going to Mothermouth so their new leader can get her name and nine lives. After that night, we will draw Night near their camp, and attack him. We will all be very loud, and when RiverClan warriors appear we will accuse Night of killing Leopardstar. The RiverClan warriors will come down, and together we will drive off and possibly kill Night. Then they will accept us into their Clan. Anybody know what their Clan names will be yet?" _

_There were murmurs of amusement all around._

"_I'll be Foxpelt," declared Fox. _

"_Sabertooth," stated Saber simply. _

"_Wolfshadow," meowed Wolf excitedly. _

"_Shadowstream," Shadow meowed, then asked "What about you Flame?"_

_The muscled bronze tom was deep in thought. Finally he meowed "I wouldn't mind being called Flamestar," _

**Doesn't that leave us wondering how ambitious he is? Haha. Guess away at what will happen! **


	11. Chapter 9

The new RiverClan leader stood, head bowed, as Leopardstar was carried past. She was supported by Swallowtail and Dapplenose. The two warriors quickly disappeared in the hollow of Fourtrees. It had seemed only fitting that the leader be buried in a sacred place of StarClan, since they weren't in their camp.

Mistyfoot stood, signaling to her Clan with a sweep of her tail. The tired cats turned to face her, eyes dull as stones. "RiverClan, we will begin our journey at sunhigh. For now, we must all rest and gather our strength. Dawnflower, Pouncetail, and Beechfur, see if you can find some prey. The rest of us will rest,"

Mistyfoot jumped off of her rock as the rest of the Clan formed a sleeping mass of bodies on the driest patch of ground they could find. The strongest warriors were on the outside, the weakest protected and cushioned by their body heat. Soon Dapplenose and Swallowtail appeared. Swallowtail padded quietly into the center and set down to rest, while Dapplenose chose a spot in right behind the first row of bodies. She curled into a tight ball and was asleep almost immediately.

The cold winds of leaf bare stung their pelts, but the Clan eventually slept. Mistyfoot watched as they dropped off, one by one, and her eyes grew warm. The Clan was always working to protect each other. _When RiverClan is threatened, we rise as one to protect us all. _

Reedwhisker was keeping watch. Mistyfoot nodded her thanks to him as she found a place on the outside of the circle and slept.

* * *

She woke as the sun reached its highest point. Some of her Clan were already awake. She stood hastily and shook out her pelt, scenting the air. The entire Clan was back at 'camp'. Nodding, she glanced for Reedwhisker and saw her deputy curled up on the ground. Blackclaw had taken his place, and he was now guarding a fresh kill pile. Mistyfoot quickly assessed the contents and opted to not have anything.

Stretching out her legs in turn, she opened her mouth and uttered a long, drawn out yowl. The Clan turned to her, the sleeping cats awakening and copying her stretch-out movements. Then they turned to her, their lackluster eyes suddenly brightening with hope. StarClan would be with them by the end of the night.

"RiverClan!" yowled Mistyfoot. "Today we depart to Highstones. Tonight we find sanctuary at Mothermouth's slopes. Warriors, support the weak. We will reach Mothermouth together,"

She closed her mouth, flicked her tail, and led her Clan into the ocean that was WindClan's old territory.

Very shortly her paws couldn't find solid ground, and she started to swim. Her muscles moved in rhythm as she paddled through the water. She kept her eyes above the water, surprised as she saw the great expanse in front of her. It all looked very big, and was glaring white in her eyes because of the sun. She squinted to see her way, feeling uncomfortable for once in water.

No ground met her paws for a long time, and she began to pant. Her Clan echoed her, some panting more heavily than others. How long could this territory go on for? Surely there was some dry ground where the hills used to be?

Mistyfoot gasped as a sharp pain started in her side. RiverClan couldn't go on swimming for much longer. Every stroke was an effort, and every breath seared her ribs. She _needed_ to stop and rest. But would there ever be any solace in this unforgiving territory?

A startled hiss rushed through her lips as something brushed her paws. She strained to see down but was too fixed on looking ahead. If she looked she would sink, and no RiverClan cat could dive.

The brushing happened again, and this time a cat nearby echoed her. "What was that?" whispered Rippletail. It was all he could manage to say because of his labored breathing.

Suddenly, with a splash, the silver body of a fish exploded out of the water, arced into the air, and then disappeared back into the depths. Startled yowling exploded on all sides, and even Mistyfoot couldn't hold back a startled hiss.

Then Minnowstream's amused meow came from somewhere behind Mistyfoot. "It's only a fish!" she remarked. She didn't seem to be breathing as heavily as the rest. Mistyfoot was mystified by this, but didn't question it for long.

"Keep going," she managed to hiss quickly. Any lapse in breathing now would result in her being too short on breath to go much further.

The sun beat its currently unforgiving rays down on the cats' bodies. The water was painted the bright white of the full moon. It was never ending, stretching in all directions, and Mistyfoot was tired, oh so tired……

She was aware of a sudden lapse in sound around her. She was floating, her head sinking below the waves.....

There was a sudden hiss in her ear. "You're on land leader," Mistyfoot's blue eyes flashed open and stared into the dark blue ones of a pure black tom. She tried to say something but only spluttered, water gushing out of her nose, ears, and mouth.

There was a hiss at her side. "Mistyfoot! Are you okay?" She turned and saw Mothwing standing there, worry in her amber eyes. "M'allight," she slurred, still recovering. Mothwing didn't believe her; the medicine cat bent down and listened to her breathing.

"Is she okay?" came the calm voice of Reedwhisker. The black deputy was standing at the head of the Clan, his voice struggling to mask his panic, the panic blatant in his amber eyes.

"She's getting better," meowed Mothwing, her eyes narrowed. "O'curse I'm," slurred Mistyfoot again, water still pouring from her mouth. Reedwhisker visibly relaxed, but his gaze now turned to the rogue who had helped his leader.

"Who are you?" he meowed, his amber eyes now warm. "You saved my leader, and the Clan owes their thanks to you,"

Mistyfoot interrupted the conversation. "What happened to me?" she meowed, her voice becoming normal as the water finished expelling itself from her system.

"You were starting to sink just as the end of this wretched territory appeared. The only reason the Clan didn't follow you was because _you _were drowning. We were finding the strength to save you when this rogue appeared and saved you," Reedwhisker meowed.

Mistyfoot turned to the black tom, her eyes brightening. "I thank you, as does RiverClan," she meowed formally. "What is your name?"

The black tom blinked his dark blue eyes slowly and gratefully. "My name is Night," he meowed. "And I want to join the Clans,"


	12. Chapter 10

A sudden commotion outside of their circle made Mistyfoot turn to face whatever was coming, her light blue eyes shining with confusion. Blackclaw was leading Mosspelt and Pouncetail towards them. All three warriors were bristling with uncontained fury, their eyes glaring hostilely at the loner Night. The black tom looked confused at their approach, mirroring Mistyfoot's reaction as well.

"Blackclaw, what is the meaning of this?" she prompted almost furiously. They were showing outward disrespect to the cat who had saved her life.

"He's the cat who killed Leopardstar. He's the one who we fought when we picked up the rogue scent trail," hissed Blackclaw. "Let's kill him now!" His claws were already unsheathed in preparation. It was obvious he was dying to kill the tom.

Mistyfoot's light blue gaze switched to Night. Fury had begun to burn in their depths. "Is this true?" she demanded in a voice full of authority. Night's similarly colored eyes stared into her own. "No. They are wrong," declared the tom.

"No. They are right!" came a sudden hiss. All of the cats whipped their heads around to see a muscled bronze tom padding towards her. At his side paced a black she-cat with olive green eyes. Behind them, an agile light brown tom and a dark orange tom with black legs walked side by side, looking uncomfortable under the sudden amount of stares. A dark gray tabby she-cat brought up the rear, looking neutral in the hostile environment RiverClan were beginning to create.

"Who are you?" demanded Mistyfoot. She flicked her tail once, a subtle signal, and suddenly all of RiverClan were on the alert. Their leader still only had one life. She would need to be protected.

"I am Flame. This is my mate Shadow, and my group Fox, Saber, and Wolf," Each cat nodded as he said their name, relaxing a bit under his lead. "For a long time we have wanted to join the Clans. When Night appeared, we wanted to protect you. He attacked and killed Leopardstar just as she was coming to regroup with you. If it hadn't been for him, Leopardstar would still be alive,"

Mistyfoot looked at him skeptically, her feelings mirrored by her warriors. Reedwhisker leaned forward to whisper "I don't trust them" in her ear. Mistyfoot nodded, agreeing with her deputy, and asked emotionlessly "Why should we believe you?"

Flame opened his mouth, about to reply, when Shadow snarled "Ask StarClan and you shall receive the truth!" Flame paused, as if surprised by his mate's outburst, but then nodded.

"If it is indeed the truth StarClan will tell you," came the soft meow of Willowpaw. The medicine cat apprentice and her mentor had been listening closely. Mothwing nodded in confirmation, the shard of uneasiness that filled her eyes when it came to StarClan disappearing. "When StarClan said that Hawkfrost had abandoned the Clan, it was the truth," she meowed. "Remember my conversation with him?" Mistyfoot nodded, and then declared "So we shall see tonight as I dream whether it is Flame telling the truth, or Night. You should all stay," she meowed to the loners, her tone slightly menacing. A meaningful look passed between the RiverClan warriors, and they closed ranks, keeping the loners there.

"We would never dream of leaving," promised Flame. "Why would I? I am innocent," declared Night, throwing a glare at Flame. "It's them you should watch out for," The black tom padded away, shadowed by Pouncetail and Minnowstream. Blackclaw and several others settled around Flame and his group, putting up the act of grooming themselves. None of the RiverClan warriors spoke to the loners – they just minded themselves, throwing out the illusion of not watching them but clearly aware of every move they made.

Mistyfoot turned away from the scene. She surveyed the camp, noting that Icewing was very nearly due and Graymist had another couple of moons. She padded over to speak with the medicine cats about the due dates, putting aside her worries about the loners and taking care of regular Clan business first.

Later that night the RiverClan leader lay down on the hard ground. The rest of the Clan slept around the loners in a tight circle, taking their guard duties very seriously. Mistyfoot felt happiness flood through her, combining with pride. Once more the line that made the essence of RiverClan flow through her came; _when RiverClan rises up together, we are unbeatable._

She closed her eyes with a content sigh, thinking of nothing but what she could do to feed the Clan the next day…..she could practically taste the mouse scent that was flowing through her nose….MOUSE scent?! Her eyes flew open, and she found herself at Fourtrees once more. But it wasn't Stonestream who rose to greet her – instead, her former leader padded up to her.

Soft pride glowed in Leopardstar's eyes, and she purred at the sight of her former deputy. "Mistyfoot, welcome! You seek an answer to a question you could only answer in the real world based on trust?" The she-cat nodded, her eyes alert and serious. "Do you have the answer to my question?" she queried, dipping her head respectfully.

The warrior she-cat looked at her intently. "Follow your heart, Misyfoot. You already know the answer,"

The silver-blue she-cat's eyes widened. "I knew it!" she exclaimed in wonder, and then quieted. "Is there hope for RiverClan Leoapardstar? Will we survive?" Briefly she remembered the shooting stars, and then meowed quickly "I know the answer to my question Leopardstar! But how are we supposed to be a Clan, without others to help us along?"

"You will find a way……" murmured the unusually spotted golden tabby, and then the dream faded into nothingness….

Mistyfoot opened her eyes to weak morning sunlight. She blinked once, and then sat up straight. Surveying the camp, she picked out the loners and sighed with relief. They still sat in her camp, ready to await her judgment. The leader scented the air, locating Reedwhisker. She padded to her deputy and sat next to his sleeping form, aiming to be the first cat he spoke to that morning.

They had many things to discuss.


End file.
